Mower guard



' April 22, 1930. 1 J, BoRKHuls. JR

`1 MowER. GUARD Filed Sept. 29, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ApriluZ, 1930. J. BoRKHuls, JR 1,755,534

I MOWER GUARD Filed Sept. 29; 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2 maentor Patented pr. 22, 1.930

7 UNITED 5:1"1Esi P LOUS J; BORKHU-S, JJR., 'OF VAY'LND; DAKOTA.A

mow-ER GUARD Application flied september 29, 1928. serial No. 309,334'.

The present invention relates to mower sc'kl'es, and'inore particularly to an improved mower guard' kand ledger plate fastening means combined therewith'.

5 An object o'f the present invention is to providea more perfect locking means for the ledger plates 'than has been heretofore utilized,-andwhich during operation will not permit the ledger plates to become disengaged 1e from the guard as has heretofore occurred' by encountering weeds andv heavy grasses,v the latter forcing the ledger plates upwardly and-moving it rearwardly out of engagement with its seat. i

y Another object of,ythe invention is to provide a structure such as above outlined and wherein theY ledger plate is provided. with relatively long cutting surfaces atthe. side edges thereof.

The invention aims to do away with loose, detached springs. 'and the like, as has been heretofore used and) which frequently become lost during the operation, adjustment .and replacement of the part.,

A further object of the invention is(r to provide a guardy tooth which may be solid and proportionately stronger to withstand heavy stresses such as occasioned by contactA` ing with stones andother solid obstructions 39 during operation. y Y v i A stillfurther object of the invention is to-provide a novel form of detent orlocking bolt for a ledger plate which will ybe automatically self-,cleaning duringA operation. and

35 which will provide anl easy means for lremoval'of the ledger 'plate from its guard. v

@other Iolojects and advantages ofthis in- ,vention willbe apparent from the following description whenv considered in `connection with the accompanying d-rawings and vwill be more 4particularly pointed-*out in the appendied claimsg L In the drawings: Y

Figure 1. isa vertical longitudinal section aken centrally` through one of the guard fingers ,with the v:improvements appliedthereto.

.Figure 2 isa-side elevation of the same. Figurer-is a top lplan View ofthecomplete e device.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken through the rea-r end of the guard' finger substantially on' t'lie lin-'e 'Ll-4 yof F igurel "2, and loolring in the direction 'of 'the' arrows.'

Figure f5' is a detail topplan view of a ledger plate'constructedvaccording to this inventi-on. v f

Figure l(Sis a side elevation, showing in de# tail the spring latch or detent used.

Figure 7 isa rear end elevation of the same.

Figure 8A is a top: plan "view of the complete device, the forward end thereofheing shown iny `horizontal' section as indicated on"- the Vline 8-8 'in Figurel 2C i' Y Referring' now tothe drawings, inH which like numeralsof reference designate' like4 or corresponding'y parts 'throughout the several views, l`0desi'gnate's vthe body portion cfa mower guard finger ortoot-h', which, as shown 'H to advantage in Figure l,v is substantially integrator 'solid-.and presents a relatively Y rigid 'structure The guardl linger' 10 is proividedI with the usual'p'oint or nosejll, and the intermediate pfortiozrrV of the guard plate is stepped 'downwardly' at4 itsupper surface to provide a seat lf2 for receivingl and sup; port'ing a ledger'pl'ate' 13', the seat lQhei'ng depressed Vin the up'penface' 'ofthe guard finger asi shown 'in Figure 1. Finger lO'is provided, vrearwardly of' the nosel lll, with an arm 14 which extends'rearwardlfvand's in; lclined upwardly at .a slight angle ifrom'the forward endofthe seat 1'2so1ast`ooverhang the ledger platel'S.. This arm lt'is reinforced with a pair' of' ridges .or''ribs-*1.5 which.'Y eX# tend `'forwardly and merge into the upper facel ofi the guardv finger L0., The vrear"eX tremity of the guardi finger" 10 is provided with a slianlrl which i'sflatt'ened andsecured in the usual'manner for"attachmentto'the finger ba-r.

Adjacent! the, shank .16 the guardlinger 10 is provided with a cross a-r-ni or transverse enlargement l7 theifinterl'nediatefupperfporL tion of 'which is in the form of aflugorprjo ject'ionlf8 which liesflush with' l'thef upper surface of thev ledger plate ThelfuglS tis of.. substantially wedge yor triangularform and 1s adapted to engage in a V-shape groove or slot 19 formed in the rear edge portion of the ledger plate 13. The sides of the lug 18 are undercut while the sidewalls of the slot 19 are beveled so that the rear end of the ledger plate is interlocked with the lug 18 when the ledger plate is moved backwardly into position. As shown in Figure 4, the end portions kof the cross arm 17 may have its upper surface flush with the upper surface of the lug 18 fora short distance and opposite sides of the ledger plate 13 for protecting. and holding the latter more firmly in position.

The forward end of the ledger plate 13 is provided with an intermediate recess 2O and lateral projections or lugs 21 at opposite sides of the recess. The llugs or projections 21 engage in sockets 22 which are formed in the rear face of the nose 11 ofthe guard finger beneath the forward end of the arm 14.

The guard finger 10 is provided with a keeper slot 23 which extends downwardly through the arm 14 between the ridges 15, and down into the body of the guard finger 10 at the forward end of the seat 12. This keeper slot 23 lies between the sockets 22 yso as to register with the notch 20 in the ledger plate 13 when the latter is in position. A latch, detent or locking bolt 24 removably engages in the keeper slot '23p and projects downwardly thereinto for adistance below the seat 12. The bolt 24 is round, or of'any other suitable configuration to iit the notch 20 so as to hold the forward end of the ledger plate 13 from edgewise displacement.

The bolt 24 is carried upon a flat spring arm 25 seated in a recess in the upper face of the nose 11 and which extends forwardly from the bolt 24 and is secured at its forward end by av rivet 26 Vor the like. The bolt 24 may be provided in its rear edge with a socket or opening 27 adapted to receive a lnail or any other suitable pointed implement by means of which the bolt 24 may be lifted out of the keeper socket 23 against the tension of the spring 25. As best shown in Figures fi and 7, the lower end of the bolt 24 may be beveled at its rear side, as shown at 28, to provide a cam surface adapted to operate against the forward end of the ledger plate 13 and force the latter backwardly into interlocking engagement with the lug 18.

Vhen it is desired to remove the ledger plate 13, it is'only necessary to insert a suitable instrument in the socket 27 of the bolt -24 and to draw the bolt upwardly against the tension of itsspring 25. This action releases the forward end of the ledger plate 13 and the latter may then be moved forwardly out of engagement with the lug 18 and lifted from its seat 12. plate, the latter is placed on the seat and the bolt24 releasedl so that the spring 25 forces the bolt 24'downwardly and brings the cam face 28 against the forward end of the ledger plate 13. The ledger plate 13 is thus forced When 'replacing the ledgerV backwardly on its seat 12 so as to interlock the beveled or inclined edge portions of the lug and plate and thus securely hold the ledger plate from lifting upwardly from the finger guard.

It is of course understood that the toothed bar reciprocates within the recess formed beneath the arm 14 and cooperates with the latter edges of the ledger plates 13 for cutting grass and the like. During this operation, the ledger plates have a tendency to move forwardly within their seat and upon the guard fingers 10, particularly when cutting heavy grasses or weeds, and thus the ledger plates frequently become detached.

Further, ledger plates have heretofore been held in place by means of coil springs and the like which were not adapted toresist the forward movementrof the plate so thatthese devices could not'hold the plates from detachment from the guard fingers. 1t will be readily seen that by the arrangement above specifically described these disadvantages are obviated and the bolt'or def tent 24 serve to firmly hold and secure the ledger plates in position on their seats 12 and the bolt 24 can not be released by any reciprocating action of the cutter bar or the attendant action of heavy grasses or the like which are drawn through the machine. i

It is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details -of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications-being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

lVhat is claimed is-e l. A guard finger having both nose and rearwardly extending arm, and having a ledger plate seatbeneath said arm and a lug projecting upward from the rear end of said seat, a ledger plate on said'seat provided with forwardly extending projections, said guard finger having sockets for said projections at the forward end of the seat, interlocking edge portions on said lug and ledger plate, and a locking bolt disposed inthe guard finger for engagement between the projections of the ledger plate for holding the latter' against edgewise displacement and against said lug.

2. A guard finger provided at its intermediate portion and in its upper surface with a depressed seat providing a socket portion at the forward end of the seat and an anchoring lug at the rear end of the seat, a ledger plate adapted to engage said seat and having a recess in its `rear edge, for the reception of said lug, said lug and said ledger plate having interlocking edge portions, a spring pressed locking bolt mounted'in the forward end of the guard finger for engagement with the forward edge of said ledger plate for forcing the latter backwardly into interlock Cil ing engagementwith said lug, said ledger plate having forwardly projecting portions at opposite sides of said bolt for engagement in the socket portions of said guard finger, said locking bolt having means for the withdrawal thereof from engagement with said ledger plate. Y

3. A guard Yfinger comprising a relatively solid body portion having an integral nose and an integral shank at its rear end, said body portion having a transverse enlargement near its rear end and extending above the upper surface thereof to provide a lug, a ledger plate adapted to seat across the upper surface of the guard linger forwardly of the lug, said lug and said ledger plate having complemental edge portions adapted to interlock for holding the ledger plate against lifting movement from the guard linger, said ledger plate also having a recess in its forward end and forwardly projecting lugs at opposite sides of the recess, said guard finger having sockets at opposite sides adapted to receive the lugs of the ledger plate, ysaid guard finger also having a keeper slot eX- tending downwardly therein at the forward end of said ledger plate, a bolt removably fitting in said keeper slot and adapted to engage in the recess of the ledger plate for holding the latter from edgewise displacement and in interlocking engagement with said lug, the lower end of said bolt having a bevy p eled rear face adapted to engage said ledger plate for forcing the same backwardly against said lug, and a spring arm carried by said boltk and secured to said guard finger for urging the bolt normally downward into said keeper slot. v

4. A guard finger having a ledger plate seat across its intermediate portion and a projection rising from the rear end of said seat, a ledgerplate having interlocking rear edge portions for engagement with said projection, a movable bolt mounted vertically in the guard finger at the forward end of said ledger plate for engagement with the latter when ythe ledger plate is in interlocking engagement with said projection, and spring Y means engaging the bolt for normally urging the saine downwardly into engagement with the ledger plate.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature.

y LOUIS J. BORKHUIS, JR. 

